The USGA knows all about Saucon Valley Country Club, which has hosted five national championships since 1951. But Lehigh Country Club remained off its radar -- until recently.

Now, the 77-year-old club on Cedar Crest Boulevard finds itself pondering a future as a USGA championship site. Mikulski said the club is flattered and interested but treading lightly for now.

"There's been a buzz around the club. The members are very proud, and deservedly so," Mikulski said. "We're exploring the possibilities."

Built in 1928, Lehigh has been a quieter sister to Saucon Valley. Long a fixture in the national-magazine course ratings, Saucon Valley has a significant relationship with the USGA that may continue with the 2009 U.S. Women's Open. Saucon Valley and the USGA are firming a contract that would bring the event to the club's Old Course.

Until 2002, Lehigh remained off the national radar, which is how the members wanted it. But prodded by Mark Fine, an Allentown course-design consultant and Lehigh member, the club invited magazine-raters to visit.

Lehigh debuted at 88th in Golfweek's 2002 list of the top 100 classic courses in America. It improved to 77th in the current listing released in March and debuted at 83rd on Golf Magazine's 2003 list of the top 100 American courses.

"All of the sudden people said, "Check out this club,"' Fine said. "Lehigh was finally on the radar screen of folks like the USGA."

And those folks were so impressed, Mikulski and Fine said, that they discussed the possibility of a future U.S. Women's Open. Lehigh had a number of significant assets:

A 6,600-yard, par-70 course that fits the USGA's dimensions for future women's tournaments.

Accessibility to Interstate 78 and neighboring parking facilities and lodging.

Sixty adjacent acres for corporate hospitality.

All it lacked was experience hosting a major event.

"I think we have to pay our dues first," Mikulski added. "They thought we should host one or two smaller events, get people involved and get exposure, then maybe they'd offer us a major event."

"The Women's Open is ideal for the course," Fine added. "But there was a real hesitation that we just don't have a tournament history. Otherwise, you might might have seen a different name for 2009. We have to prove to them we're capable of holding an event. Saucon knows how, and the USGA knows the Lehigh Valley can host a successful event. It's just a matter of timing [for Lehigh]. We'll get one."

Fine said the U.S. Senior Amateur was mentioned as a possible prelude to a Women's Open. He also cited "a nice match play," like the Walker or Curtis cups.

In the meantime, the club has scheduled expansion and renovation projects to its clubhouse and health facilities. When those are completed, Mikulski said, the tournament talk might get more serious.

"We have an awful lot on our plate right now, so I don't know if there's time to entertain an event like that," Mikulski said. "But you never know what the future holds."